Tool



Patented May 22, 1934 srss FFICE ATN TOOL

Application July 28, 1932, Serial No. 625,441

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tools for working on guidesfor the valve stems of internal combustion engines.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision ofa tool for cleaning guides for the stems or valves of internalcombustion engines and the tool of the invention is so constructed andarranged that it may be inserted in a valve stem guide and rotated or loscillated therein for cleaning the guide and freeing it of carbondeposits and other foreign substances.

According to a special feature of the invention the tool is so arrangedthat it may be expanded while in the guide to obtain the most effectivecleaning action and is constructed in a simple manner so as to beeconomical to manufacture and yet it has such novel characteristics asrenders it eiflcient in its operation.

Various novel features and advantages of the invention will behereinafter more fully referred to in connection with the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a tool embodying the novel featuresof the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line'22 of. Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the cleaning elements of thetool;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing a developed plan view of theworking edges of the elements of the tool.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail the invention will be fullydescribed.

A cleaning head assembly is provided which is represented generally by 2and includes an upper flange 4 and a lower flange 6 between which extenda plurality of circumferentially arranged cleaning elements 8.

The cleaning elements 8 are preferably made from metal strips which haveone or more flat faces or sides. In the form of the invention shown theelements 8 are in the form of flat and relatively thin metal stripswhich are twisted intermediate their ends to provide intermediateportions tangential to the axis of the tool and more or less parallelwith, and in the same plane as, the end portionsthereof and to present aplurality of working edges such as 10. The strip will be of metal whichis more or less springlike so as to be resilient or yieldable. Theopposite ends of the strips are secured in some suitable manner to themembers 4 and 6 (Cl. 15104.0l)

as by being brazed or welded in suitable sockets 15 thereof, whereby thecleaning elements and the flanges form a cleaning head assembly.

Preferably the members 8 will be twisted so that the working edges 10will extend longitudi- 0 nally of the head assembly and in an angularrelation relative to the axis of the tool whereby in rotating the toolin a valve guide the said working edges will operate with a shearingaction.

The lower flange 6 has a threaded part 14 in screw threaded engagementwith the shank 16. The upper end 19 of stem 18 may be threaded in flange4 and a nut 20 is in threaded engagement with the threaded end 19 ofsaid stem and serves 0' as a lock nut, it being adapted to bear on theflange 4. The stem 18 has a lower threaded end slidable in a suitablehole of a handle H and is in threaded engagement with a: nut 24rotatable in a slot 26 of said handle. '1

By rotating the nut 24 in one direction, the stem 18 may be moveddownwardly whereby the nut 20 thereof tends to move the upper flangetoward the lower flange and press on the elements 8 so as to bulge orexpand the overall diameter of the cleaning head. When the nut 24 isrotated in an opposite direction the member 18 is moved upwardly and theupper end, being locked to the flange 4, will move the flanges apart andrelieve the members 8 of endwise pressure. The stem 18 is held againstrotation when member 2a is rotated since its upper end is locked to part4 as described and the elements 8 have their opposite ends fixed to theflange members 4 and 6 to act as torque members while the member 6 isthreaded in shank 16.

While the shank 16 in the form of the invention shown is provided with ahandle 4, it will be readily apparent that the shank may be embraced ina chuck or other driving mechanism. In any event it will be desirable toprovide means in association with the stem so as to facilitate expandingor increasing the diameter of the tool to facilitate movements of theflanges 4 and 6 towards and away from one another for expanding oradjusting the overall diameter of the elements 8.

In operation, the cleaning head assembly 2 is inserted within a valveguide and the shank 16 is rotated by means of the handle 8 or otherwise.The rotation of the tool causes the working edges 10 to act on materialon the walls of the guide so as to scrape and remove the same therefrom.When desired or necessary the tool may be expanded while in the bore bymoving the flanges 4 and 6 towards one another.

As pointed out the elements 8 are twisted intermediate their ends toprovide intermediate portions which are tangential to the axis of thetool and more or less in parallelism with and in the same plane as theopposite ends of the elements. This provides working edges 10 whichextend between the intermediate and end portions in an angular relationrelative to the axis of the tool. The adjacent Working edges of adjacentelements are arranged in alternately converging and diverging relation,as shown, to overcome longitudinal or axial self-feeding of the tool asit is rotated in a valve guide bore. When the tool is rotated in a valveguide bore the angularly disposed working edges represented by 10 inFig. 5, act with a shearing action which may tend toproduce impulsesor.forces effective in the direction of arrows f to feed the tool in onedirection. The working edges represented by 10' may produce opposingimpulses or forces in the direction of arrows f to feed the tool in anopposite direction. Thus any tendency of the tool to feed in onedirection is offset by an equal tendency to feed in an oppositedirection, and is accomplished by arranging the working edges in therelation described. A self-feeding or screw action of the tool would notonly tend to mar the valve guide bore but the desired shearing actionwould be impaired thereby.

Various changes may be made in the form of the invention shown withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore it is desiredto be limited by the following claims rather than by the foregoingdescription.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for cleaning the bores of valve guides comprising incombination, a staff, flanges relatively movable axially thereon, and aplurality of cleaning elements ribbonlike in form each having oppositeend portions secured to said flanges in substantial parallelism and inthe same plane, the said elements being "twisted intermediate their endsto form intermediate portions substantially parallel with the endportions thereof and provide working edges extending from theintermediate portions to the end portions in an angular relationrelative to the axis of the tool, the adjacent working edges of theelements being arranged in alternate diverging and converging relation,whereby the tendency of the tool to self-feed along the bore in onedirection is overcome by a tendency to self-feed in an oppositedirection.

2. A tool for cleaning the bores of valve guides comprising incombination, a staff, flanges relatively movable axially thereon, aplurality of cleaning elements ribbon-like in form each having oppositeend portions secured to said flanges in substantial parallelism and inthe same plane, the said elements being twisted intermediate their endsto form intermediate portions in the same plane and substantiallyparallel with the end portions thereof and provide working edgesextending from the intermediate portions to the end portions in anangular relation relative to the axis of the tool arranged in sets ofworking edges above and below the said intermediate portions, theadjacent working edges of the elements in each set being arranged inalternate diverging and converging relation, whereby the tendency of thetool to self-feed along the bore in one direction is overcome by atendency to self-feed in an opposite direction, and means to effectrelative movements of said flanges.

3. A tool for cleaning the bores of valve guides comprising incombination, a staff, flanges relatively movable axially thereon, and aplurality of cleaning elements ribbon-like in form, each having oppositeend portions secured to said flanges in substantial parallelism and inthe same plane, the said elements being twisted intermediate their endsto provide working edges disposed in an angular relation relative to theaxis of the tool, the adjacent working edges of the elements beingarranged in alternate diverging and converging relation, whereby thetendency of the tool to self-feed along the bore in one direction whenrotated therein is overcome by its tendency to self-feed in an oppositedirection.

OSCAR S. TYRRELL.

